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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 22, 2017 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — Following the successful Mother’s Day church service on Sunday May 14 that was graced by the presence of Prime Minister and Political Leader of the Peoples Labour Party (PLP) Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, members of the PLP Branch #7 Women Empowerment Group have been galvanised to spread their wings across the island.

 

“The purpose of this group in Number 7, and why we formed it, was to inspire our womenfolk,” said the group’s leader Ms Sonia Henry who is also one of the two Women Representatives on the National Executive of the Peoples Labour Party. “Now we are not going to stay in Number 7 – we are going to go right around the country because we believe that the woman needs to be empowered.”

 

The Mother’s Day service was held at the House of Deliverance New Testament Church of God on Main Street in Tabernacle and was conducted by Senior Pastor Mrs Octavia Warner. Also present was the church’s spiritual mother Mrs Ermyn Phipps, the widow of the late Bishop Edward Phipps who together served the church in leadership for over 38 years.  

 

According to Ms Henry, there are a lot of hurting women who need to speak to someone. To address that aspect of their mission, the group meets every Tuesday evening from 6:30 pm in Upper Bourryeau Estate where they share their concerns and those with serious concerns like housing, land, jobs or even those who need loans are connected to the relevant authorities.

 

“I am glad we had this service on Sunday and I want to thank our beloved Prime Minister for coming,” said Ms Henry. “We consider ourselves as soldiers, and for now our membership is in Number Seven but after today we are going around the island from Number One to Eight.”

 

Member Ms Elrona Williams said that when they attended the Mother’s Day church service their membership stood at 40. She also said that they are planning to spread adding: “We are taking it further – we are not stopping. This is the move now, we are moving on forward. No stopping us.”

 

Another member Ms Venetta Fredrick said that they were looking at expanding their membership to 100 ladies in the first instance saying that was going to be achieved because when they started they were only 10, and with only membership from Constituency Number 7 they are 40-strong.

 

“The group is all about helping each other, helping those who do not have any work to continue on our path, on to moving forward now in fund raising and helping those who need houses and land and stuff like that,” said Ms Shermel Cumberbatch. “It is just a way of going out in the community and keeping this alive because you know our Prime Minister cannot be there to speak to everybody every day.”

 

Added Ms Cumberbatch: “We are grateful for Sonia because as we say she is a woman of God – she is a praying woman. When she says yes to you she means yes, even though things do not happen in the same time, she is going to try her best to go out and do something to help you.

 

“Everything does not happen one time, but then you know that she is going to real help us. She is like the head soldier for the group, and we are here to keep the bond with everybody together. So that is why we are here and we are fighting for our constituency and helping our prime minister along the way.”

 

At the group’s last meeting on held on Tuesday May 16 members discussed another social event which is a breakfast that will be held on Saturday June 3.

 

“The reason for our last gathering was because we were discussing the menu for the breakfast and the way forward,” said group leader Ms Sonia Henry. “We are inviting everyone to come. Walk with your $15 and you are going to get everything, coconut dumplings, fried fish, salt fish, you name it – it will be there over in Number 7 outside Bourryeau Gate.”